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Kiyoshiro Higashmitari has reached his goal.
Finally, after years away in the big city, reading, studying, and learning to his heart's content, he is to make his triumphant return back to his small village in the countryside, show off his big fancy degree that he obtained at a much younger age than most, and practice what he’s learned for the betterment and thriving of his hometown.
The familiar sight of rice fields come into view from the silver haired boy’s seat in the back of a horse drawn cart bumpily galloping down the dirt roads.
The sight fills him with nostalgia, but also stirs up the feelings of disappointment he was trying to keep buried in the deep recesses of his mind.
He’s excited to return home, mostly to brag about his accomplishments, but he isn’t happy to leave behind the hustle and bustle of the capital.
He has never felt so intellectually challenged anywhere else in the world. The people back home were a bunch of country bumpkins that wouldn’t know a certain part of their anatomy from a hole in the ground. The most intellectual conversation he’s ever had there was about the intricacies of growing radishes or whatever crops the farmers were priding themselves in that particular year.
But in the city people seemed ever curious. Ready to dispute, discuss, ponder, and philosophize. A true thinker's paradise.
He wishes so desperately he could have stayed. Maybe find a job at the academy. Maybe start as a dorm leader and eventually work his way up to professor one day.
But, that is ultimately a selfish fantasy. After all, if it wasn’t for those uneducated farmers and bumpkins, Kiyoshiro would have never been able to go to the city and study in the first place.
His home has been on the decline lately. Not enough that it was an immediate problem. But the writing was on the wall, as the saying goes.
The last of the trained doctors in the small settlement had passed away from old age a short time ago, and without training anyone in his craft, leaving the town vacant of a medical professional. Which wouldn’t be much of a problem if the nearest hospital wasn’t a day's cart ride away.
They also needed someone more knowledgeable in agriculture, and maybe someone to figure out what kinds of things the big city folks would want to buy that the town could produce for some extra cash.
Due to Kiyoshiro being the most naturally gifted when it came to brain power, the townsfolk pulled together a fund to send him away to gain knowledge for the betterment of the community.
If he were to stay in the city, it would be like spitting in the faces of each and everyone of the people that got him there. It would be like cutting down their investment right before it was about to bear fruit.
And though he was honestly a little tempted… he couldn’t be that cruel.
As the buildings that line the small village come into view, Kiyoshiro lays eyes on a small village boy, carelessly playing with some sticks or something. Seeing this makes Kiyoshiro dread how little there really is to do here in the countryside.
Upon locking eyes with the child, he drops his makeshift toy and dashes toward the village, no doubt to alert everyone of the prodigy’s return.
Kiyoshiro was hoping for some kind of party to accompany his arrival, but judging by the sleepy atmosphere, he’ll probably just have to make due with a few cheers and maybe a home cooked meal. It can’t be helped.
The cart halts to a stop and Kiyoshiro gives the driver a few coins and sees him on his way.
“…”
Now that he’s all alone, the young academic suddenly can’t ignore the feeling he’s being watched. Intently.
A shiver runs down his spine as he studies the nearby tree line.
Nothing.
Kiyoshiro lets out a long, exhausted sigh. His mind is just playing tricks on him. Probably in a subconscious attempt to make him turn tail and run for the excitement of the city once again. But alas, here he is. Home. There’s no turning back now.
Making a few heavy steps into town, Kiyoshiro notices that a small crowd of familiar faces has gathered in the town square. They all greet him with warm smiles and happy eyes, making the young man feel guilty for his previous defamatory thoughts.
“Welcome home Kiyoshiro!” The town elder chimes as she digs her cane into dirt for balance, “My how you’ve grown!”
The elderly lady brings a wrinkled hand to the boy's face and smooshes together his cheeks in the playful, affectionate way the grandmas around here do.
Once she releases him, the boy from earlier approaches, a glint of excitement in his eyes.
”Kiyo! Kiyo! What was the city like?” He asked.
Kiyoshiro squints as he surveys all those before him. It really must have been a long time since he was last home. Though all of the eyes that look back at him are familiar and friendly, many of them have changed in subtle ways that the silver haired prodigy can’t quite put his finger on.
Hiro Amanakawa, the town's errand boy, shoots his patented warm, but bland smile in Kiyoshiro’s direction. Out of all the faces in the crowd, his is practically identical to what Kiyoshiro remembers. As plain and as unchanging as ever.
Feeling a surge of superiority come over him, the young academic grins from ear to ear.
”The city was magnificent! Unlike anything I have ever seen! The buildings were huge and the minds gathered there were some of the most learned imaginable!” He boasts.
“Wow! I wanna see the city one day!” The child declares before his mother swiftly places a hand on his shoulder and attempts to calm him with a gentle voice.
”Come now, don’t crowd poor Kiyoshiro. He must be tired after his long trip."
“Indeed!” The town elder nods, “We have much to catch up on. But we can do that over tonight’s dinner. Go get some rest.”
The happy mob of townspeople begin to disband at the elder’s words, each of them giving “congratulations” and “welcome homes” as they depart.
“We kept your room just like you left it,” One townsperson says, “I bet it’ll be a sight for sore eyes after… what? Three years?”
”Thank you very much.” Kiyoshiro beams. Admittedly, the thought of his old room is filling him with a small wave of nostalgia.
Suddenly and without warning, the old woman stops in her tracks and zooms around to once again face Kiyoshiro, a look of surprise worn on her baggy face.
”Three years? Has it been that long?” She gasps before looking lost in thought for a moment, “How old does that make you now, Kiyoshiro?”
”Hm? Sixteen.” He quickly answers.
”Sixteen?!” She shouts, looking increasingly riled up to the point Kiyoshiro is worried she may drop her cane and topple over, “You're overdue! Extremely overdue even!”
”Overdue?” Kiyoshiro questions back.
”Your rite dear boy! Your rite!” She shouts.
”…Oh no,” Kiyoshiro can’t help but blurt out.
In all the excitement, Kiyoshiro had forgotten about that age-old tradition this town holds dear.
Actually, in truth, the boy had pushed it out of his mind in hopes he wouldn’t have to perform the ridiculously superstitious ritual.
In this village, the men are considered to be of age at 15. To celebrate their coming into adulthood, they are to perform a rite of passage of sorts.
It’s simple really. The boy boards a small fishing boat in the dead of night. He sails on a large lake that has been held in high regard by the people here. A lake that is said to be “the very body” of this village’s patron Goddess.
The boy is to catch a fish, preferably two.
He offers one to the Goddess the next morning.
An eats the second himself.
This is said to “break bread” as it were, with the deity and bring good fortune, and somehow symbolize the boy becoming a man.
Kiyoshiro can’t hide the panic on his face as his mind races to try and think of a way out of this predicament.
”W-Well too bad I’m sixteen now! Looks like I missed my chance!” He says, avoiding eye contact with the elder.
”Nonsense!” She huffs, “Hiro!”
”Yes ma’am?” The boy politely heeds to the woman’s call.
“Begin the preparations for Kiyoshiro’s rite at once! We can’t have him being our village doctor and still a child!”
“Yes ma’am,” he nods in compliance, “I’ll go clean the fishing boat and get the robes ready right away."
Unable to say no in any circumstance, the errand boy runs off into the distance, much to Kiyoshiro’s dismay.
”N-no! Wait a minute! A-Amanakawa-kun! There's no need to trouble yourself really!” He shouts after him.
”It’s no trouble!” The agreeable boy shouts back, “The boat needs cleaned anyway!”
Watching the other boy trot away, Kiyoshiro feels his heart sink.
“R-Really! There's no need to do this right away, can’t we put it off for a few days? Or months?” Kiyoshiro pleads with the elder.
”Come now Kiyoshiro! There’s no need to worry! Hiro will take care of all of the preparations. You just rest! You're going to need your energy for nightfall!” The woman laughs, before waddling away from the panicking sliver haired boy.
”I-I guess that's it then,” the boy whines, “I’m a goner!”
Kiyoshiro returns to his room shortly after, but can’t seem to bring himself to relax in the familiar space.
All he can fixate on is the rite.
He has to be alone. In the dark. On the water. What if he falls in?! There would be no one to save him! What if a wild animal or terrifying yokai comes along and tears the poor boy to shreds? Or what if he does something to anger the Goddess? He’s too young to end up on the receiving end of some flavor of righteous retribution! He can see it now, his bloodline cursed for generations or his spirit damned to wander the earth for the rest of eternity!
The young prodigy wildly ruffles through his silver locks and lets out a loud, panicked scream.
What's he going to do? What’s going to become of him?!
The young man’s eyes rapidly move around the room as he tries to think of some solution.
Maybe he could fain sick? No. There’s no way the elder would believe him.
Maybe Kiyoshiro could say the Goddess came to him herself and told him he didn’t have to participate? No, that would be wrong. And that kind of lie leaves him open to the previously mentioned divine punishment.
Then, amidst his panic, the boy’s eyes fall on a small wooden box peeking out from under his bed.
He quickly runs over and dumps out its contents.
Omamori after omamori topple onto the floor until there is a decent sized pile before him.
Kiyoshiro shifts through his collection.
”I have to have one for boat safety somewhere!” He mutters to himself.
Kiyoshiro had a bit of a habit collecting these charms from wherever he could, for every possible type of ailment and scenario. He even took a few with him to the city that still sit in his unpacked travel bag, but those are mostly for road safety and academic successes.
He sighs, defeated as his search comes up fruitless.
He picks up a few for wellness and family prosperity. These will have to do. A curse is like an illness right? So maybe that will keep them at bay. And how could his family prosper if he ends up dead? Yes. These should work. Maybe he’ll throw in a few for good luck and protection for good measure.
As he goes to put away the irrelevant talismans, a certain one catches his attention. It’s in a small pink sack adorned with sakura petal embroidery. The tassels are a dark red color, and the kanji for “Luck in love” sits on the front in gold lettering.
Kiyoshiro is puzzled for a moment as he looks the object over.
”When did I get this one?” He thinks to himself.
Kiyoshiro lets out a chuckle as he throws the charm in with the others useless for this blight. Kiyoshiro has never been much interested in romance, he must have just bought this one in a terror induced haze along with a bulk of others.
Having at least some peace of mind with the omamori now hanging from his neck and stuffed in his pockets, Kiyoshiro crashes down into the comfort of his bed.
He should at least try to get a little sleep before nightfall. He wouldn’t want to fall asleep on the boat and end up rolling off and drowning.
Feeling exhausted from the worry, Kiyoshiro slowly drifts into slumber pushing as many invasive thoughts as he can from his mind.
…
The dreaded hour is finally upon him.
Kiyoshiro could barely enjoy his homecoming dinner through the fear bubbling up in his chest. He kept thinking about the lake. About the possible horrors that could await him in its murky depths.
He debated on making a run for it. Just leaving this all behind and walking back to the city on foot. People were so much less superstitious there so he wouldn't have to deal with these ridiculous rituals ever again!
But despite his dismissive attitude toward the primitive traditions of his home village, Kiyoshiro still feels bound to them for some reason or another.
He wants to run away and never look back… but a worry in the back of his mind persists.
What if these superstitions actually come from a place of truth? What if the Goddess of the lake is angered by his refusal to participate?!
This thought is what binds him here. As much as he wants to believe it's all a bunch of hogwash, he can’t take that chance.
Once the sun goes down and most of the villagers have returned to their homes for the evening, Kiyoshiro changes into the ceremonial robes provided for him.
As Kiyoshiro looks in the mirror, he can’t help but notice the resemblance they have to the wedding hakama around here. The only difference is the yukata is blue instead of black, and the obi around his waist in a little bow is a darker shade of pink.
Finally, the silver haired boy walks over to the lake accompanied by the ever helpful Hiro, his wooden sandals making a light clank beneath him.
Once the two arrive at the shore, and Kiyoshiro lays eyes on the small boat and prepared fishing rod, he feels an intense wave of fear and anxiety come over him.
He turns, tears practically welding in his eyes and clings on to the waist of the brunette standing with him for dear life.
He falls to the ground, only hoisted up by his grip on the other boy’s kimono.
“Amanokawa-kuuuuun, please don’t leave me here!” He cries.
”Senpai,” Hiro sighs in a disappointed tone, “You’ll be fine, all of the men in town did the ritual without any incidents."
”But- but-“ Kiyoshiro stutters, “Please! You have to come with me! You can’t leave me alone out here to die!”
”Your not going to die Senpai,” Hiro reassures, unable to hide a hint of annoyance in his voice, “Besides you have to go by yourself to do it properly."
”But what if I get eaten by a yokaiiiii?!” The older boy whines.
”This place is under the Goddess’s protection. I doubt any yokai would come around here."
”Then at least stay around the shore! That way you can call for help in case I start to drown!” Kiyoshiro begs.
The brown headed boy thinks this over for a moment before succumbing to his inability to say the word “no”.
”Fine,” he sighs, “If it will make you feel better, I’ll set up camp near by."
”Really?!” Kiyoshiro gasps, looking up at his kohai with watery eyes.
”Yes. But I’m not staying too close to the lake. I don’t want the elder getting mad at me for messing up the ceremony. I’ll at least be close enough that I can hear you if you yell.”
”Thank you Amanokawa-kun! Thank you! You're truly a saint!” Kiyoshiro shouts, rubbing his face into the former's kimono.
”Yeah yeah, just get off me, you're getting my kimono dirty,” Hiro exhales.
With that settled, the silver haired boy reluctantly gets aboard the small wooden vessel.
”You promise you’ll come running if you hear anything?” He asks the shorter boy once more.
”Yeah. I promise. Just focus on catching a fish,” Hiro replies as he helps push the boat further past the shoreline.
Kiyoshiro watches the younger boy calmly wave to him as the fishing boat drifts further and further into the darkness. In no time at all, night consumes the figure of his kohai, leaving the young prodigy alone on the lake’s surface.
Knowing Amanokawa is nearby, even if he can’t see him, sets the boy at ease somewhat, but his bandaged hand still can’t seem to hold the rod steady.
What if something happens and Hiro isn’t fast enough to save him? And it's not like the younger brunette has any magical powers to ward off evil or anything of the like…
Kiyoshiro looks out in front of him. If it wasn’t for the boat gently rocking on the lake’s waves, he couldn’t even tell that he isn’t on land. How is he going to catch a fish if he can’t see his bobber? Will he just have to hold on to the rod all night and just pull if he feels a tug? Why did he have to do this silly ceremony when the moon and stars are hiding away behind a blanket of clouds! His luck is absolutely deplorable!
With a sigh, Kiyoshiro readies the bait on his hook. He’s already here. At this point he should just catch a fish as quickly as possible and get this over with.
Kiyoshiro throws the line in front of him, and is relieved when he hears it splash into the water with a quiet clunk. It would be annoying if it accidentally got tangled on a branch or something.
The silver haired boy carefully sits down in his boat and begins the long tedious process of waiting for a fish to bite.
As he sits in silence, staring out into nothing, Kiyoshiro begins to take in the quiet serenity of the night.
He honestly missed the sounds of crickets and foliage blowing in the wind during his time abroad. There, the hustle and bustle never stopped. Even in the dead of night, the sounds of nature eluded him. Kiyoshiro finds himself growing calmer and his eyes grow heavy.
Though he is still skeptical, and worst case scenarios are still whispering into the back of his mind, maybe this won't be as bad as he thought.
The boy closes his deep blue eyes and tries to let the atmosphere melt around him and hopefully finish silencing the rest of his nerves.
He knows he shouldn’t fall asleep, that could lead to a plethora of problems, but it shouldn’t be a problem if he just meditates like this until a fish comes swimming his way.
….
“Darling… Darling….”
The wind howling in the air almost sounds like it's calling out to him.
”Daring… Darling…”
It’s sweet and gentle, like the voice of a kind and caring maiden lulling into his ear.
”…Darling…”
Wait.
”…Darling…”
No that's… not a voice… is it? It couldn’t be… right?
”Oh darling… Can you hear me…?”
His eyes flash open and he quickly, but carefully, stands to his feet.
That was definitely a voice just now- but he was just hearing things right? Maybe he was dreaming?
….
After a moment of silence, Kiyoshiro sits back down.
He’s just on edge is all. There’s no one there, he tells himself.
”Darling…”
Kiyoshiro lets out a yelp, as the voice feels even closer this time, as if it's sitting right next to him.
He quickly scoots to the opposite side of the boat, the sudden movement rocking the vessel a little harder, and Kiyoshiro tries to steady it to prevent falling into the abyss around him.
Next, he hears a laugh. A soft and gentle chuckle.
”A-Amanakawa-kun! Is that y-you!” He shouts.
But no response.
”Amanakawa-kuuuun!” Kiyoshiro yells louder.
Still no response.
”You're a funny one. There's something about you that's… different from the others."
It’s talking to him. It’s definitely talking to him-!
“A-A -A s-spirit?! B-Begone!” Kiyoshiro screams, clutching onto one of his omamori for dear life, “Leave me b-be!”
”What’d be the fun in that?” The voice calmly asks, “I’d like to meet you, face to face”
Face to face? Is this one of the yokai he’d heard about that tempts you with the voice of a sultry mistress and lures you to your doom!?
“What do you say… Darling?”
He should have tried harder to get out of this! He should have fought the elder tooth and nail to not make him go through with this silly rite of passage! In fact, he should have never left the city!
”Darling…”
”I-I won’t! I-I w-won't fall into your trap! Begone! Begone! Begone!” Kiyoshiro yelps.
”Come now, don’t be like that Darling,” the voice laughs playfully.
This is all too much! Kiyoshiro can feel his head swimming and this conscious spinning- his heart feels like it's going to beat out of his chest and his eyes well with tears.
”Darling…”
That's it. That's the last bit the poor prodigy can take.
Overwhelmed beyond his limits, Kiyoshiro falls back in his small wooden boat, feeling the waking world fade around him.
”Integer… Overflow…” he mutters to himself.
…
Everything is dark. Darker than before. He can’t tell if there's anything in front of him or if he’s just floating in an abyss of shadows.
Wait… floating?
His body feels weightless, and waves push him gently to and fro.
Did he fall off the boat… is that what happened? Is his lifeless body bobbing up and down along the banks of that vast lake.
How did… this happen? Did he fall asleep while fishing and just roll over into a bed of water and algae?
If that's the case, Kiyoshiro needs to wake up soon. Though he isn’t having trouble breathing now, any second he could roll over and inadvertently drown himself.
…
Kiyoshiro can’t move. Nor can he bring himself to care much.
This feels almost relaxing, moving weightlessly on the lake’s surface.
Everything will be fine… why was he so scared in the first place….?
”Darling… darling…” A gentle voice calls.
Oh right. There was a voice.
”Darling… darling…”
It called out to him just like this before.
Come to think of it… why it’s it calling him Darling…?
”Darling… darling… wake up…”
Who does this voice even belong to… ? He’s almost certain he’s never met anyone with such a melodic inflection before. It seems like the kind of voice you could pick out of a crowd if you knew it, a tune that’s unforgettable.
”…Wake up…”
It wants him to wake up…? Kiyoshiro laughs to himself.
”Wake up”
Maybe he will… in a minute or so… Kiyoshiro wants just a little longer to float aimlessly in this sea of nothingness.
”WAKE UP KIYOSHIRO HIGASHIMITARAI!!!!”
Suddenly, a rush of tingling pain travels through the silver haired boy’s form.
From head to toe, he can feel this sensation tickle his body and he feels himself convulse.
W-What’s h-h-happening?!
Light rushes into his line of sight as he forces himself up from a sitting position with a loud yelp.
After a few more surges, the strange feeling seems to dissipate now that he has regained consciousness.
His blue eyes dance around the room, still taking a moment for his brain to catch up with the rest of his body.
Wait.. room?
He shouldn’t be in a room.
And certainly not one this nice looking. Even the village chiefs quarters are minimalist and humble in nature.
But this place… satin looking fabric hangs from the walls in pinks and purples.
Shiny trinkets twinkle in the light emanating from above.
A clam shell shaped bed comes into view across from him, as well as several colorful pots that dot the small space.
He can’t quite put his finger on why… but this place feels like something from a dream. Like something akin to an underwater palace.
”Where… am I…?” Kiyoshiro wonders aloud.
As soon as those words stumble from his lips, a bright light shines in his peripheral vision, and a small humanoid shape seems to grow and morph.
Then suddenly a slimy, wet appendage wraps around him, and he’s being pulled downward into something warm and comfortable.
The young prodigy looks down and sees what looks to be a light purple fabric.
But it isn’t from a kimono… it looks almost western, like the kinds of dresses that are popular with women in the city as of late.
Then a pair of legs catch his attention next.
Is he… lying in someone’s lap?
Kiyoshiro turns his head slightly, and sees the face of a beautiful woman staring back at him.
Her eyes are obscured behind some kind of mask, and her deep violet lips, contorting into a warm smile stand out heavily contrasted by the woman’s pale white skin.
”Good morning Darling… Did you sleep well?” The woman asks with a playful chuckle.
….
….
A moment of silence settles in the room, before everything finally hits Kiyoshiro’s still waking brain.
He lets out a blood curdling scream and pushes himself off of the stranger, falling off of some kind of cushioned platform in the process.
“Darling… what’s wrong?” The strange woman asks as Kiyoshiro scoots his body as far away from her as he can in a fit of panic.
The woman stands to her feet, and its then the silver haired young man can really get a good look at her.
She’s tall. Taller than anyone Kiyoshiro has seen before. Long, off white hair with pink tips spouts out from a strange, almost jellyfish shaped hat, along with two strange looking appendages that seem to move almost like they’re being controlled like arms.
Are those… tentacles?
What is this creature…? Whatever it is, it certainly isn’t human!
”Y-Yokai… Please spare me!” Kiyoshiro yells, cowering behind raised hands.
The woman lets out another laugh as she approaches the fearful boy.
”You don’t need to be afraid. I’m far from a Yokai,” The woman reassures before spinning around in a showy twirl, “I’m the Goddess of lake, Thetismon”
”Thetismon…” Kiyoshiro repeats.
”Thetismon-sama if you would be so kind,” The woman chimes.
Kiyoshiro peaks between his fingers at the woman-shaped creature. It’s true she has the elegance and beauty that one would expect from a Goddess, but Yokai can be crafty with their disguises and illusions! There’s no way the Goddess of the lake would show herself to mortal eyes… unless this is the moment where Kiyoshiro discovers that his right arm actually does hold the special powers he always fantasized about. That he is actually the reincarnated vessel of a cursed Kami, forced to live in the body of a common man as punishment for a great sin he can no longer recall committing- no, this isn’t the time for Kiyoshiro to unleash and become aware of his tragic past- his life is in danger-!
”Aaaaaah! Stay away!” Kiyoshiro yells at the supposed Goddess.
”Darling, calm down- I told you-!”
”No! You're lying! You just want to freeze me in the lake and eat me whole like a Yukionna- but I’m not falling for your tricks! Begone evil spirit!” Kiyoshiro shouts, pulling off a ‘travel safety’ charm from around his neck and holds it out in front of him as if trying to ward off the pale woman.
“…”
The woman is silent for a moment, making Kiyoshiro uneasy. After the silence drags on, he gives in to his curiosity and opens his tightly shut eyes. As if on cue with his gaze, a bright light engulfs the creature. She shrinks in size and her body shape morphs, and when the light fades, a pink skinned, bug eyed monster stands before him.
”I-I knew it! You're a Kappa! Gods! Somebody! Help me!” Kiyoshiro cries, tears welding in the corner of his eyes.
“Would you shut up!” The monster yells, “And don’t compare me to a Kappa, I’m much more beautiful than those ugly cucumber munching turtles!”
The creature's voice is much more shrill than before. Coupled with her child-like stature, Kiyoshiro almost feels silly being scared of something so… cute.
Just as he feels his fear subsiding, the silver haired boy once again notices the tendrils that stretch from a round blue bulb on the beast’s head and the fear strikes him all over again. He opens up his mouth to let out another panicked scream before being silenced by the demanding voice of the small Yokai.
”Didn’t I tell you to shut up?! Geez, I thought your reactions were funny at first but if you keep screaming you're going to give me a headache!” The feminine creature holds up a tentacle menacingly and electricity crackles at it’s tip, “If you keep being loud, I’ll zap you until you pass out,” she giggles mischievously.
Kiyoshiro sucks up the air that almost escaped his lungs and tightens his lips as the monster demands. He doesn’t want to make her any angrier than she already is, that could truly be the end for the young prodigy.
”See? Was that so hard?” The horror sighs, “If you talk to me like a good boy, I’ll let you return to the surface fully intact. Nod if you understand."
Kiyoshiro quickly nods his head in response.
”Good,” The creature beams before floating closer to the fearful boy, looking him over like she’s inspecting a piece of fruit at the market,”Yeah! I think you’ll do perfectly!”
”P-Please don’t eat me-!” Kiyoshiro forces himself to whisper under his breath rather than bellow out like his heart desires.
”If you keep acting scared, I really might!” The monster huffs.
“I-I’m sorry!” The genius cowers.
”I’m sorry…” The monster repeats, moving her hand along like she’s urging him to say more.
”Th-Thetismon….sama?”
“Wrong!” The beast barks, “When I’m in this form I’m Jellymon-sama to you!”
”H-How was I supposed to know that?!” The silver haired boy yelps.
”I thought you were supposed to be some kind of genius,” Jellymon sighs, taking a pause before looking over the frightened boy in front of her. “Well? Even though it's disrespectful for me to introduce myself first, I took the initiative. Are you just going to stand there?”
”O-oh right,” Kiyoshiro nods, “I’m-“
”Kiyoshiro Higashimitari, age sixteen. You moved away to the big city for a couple of years to study medicine as well as any other topics that caught your interest,” The mollusk-like woman interrupts.
”If you already knew my name, why have me introduce myself?” The boy grumbles, beginning to feel a glint of annoyance forming with the strange creature.
”I don’t know? Power fix maybe?” Jellymon shrugs, “By the way I’m going to call you Darling from now on, so you better get used to it!”
”Wh-why Darling?”
The monster gestures to the young prodigy’s person with a stray tendril, Kiyoshiro flinching at the sudden movement.
”You're doing the rite of marriage now that you're of age, right?” She says with a mischievous laugh.
“Rite of…M-Marriage?” Kiyoshiro spits.
”Yep! It’s a decree I made a few hundred years ago when I still had a priest."
”What are you talking about?!” Kiyoshiro finds himself shouting as he grabs at his head. Not only is this creature horrifying, but she keeps rattling off the strangest remarks. It’s starting to give him a headache.
”Hm? I thought I made that clear? Every man in the village is to prove their worth and ability to provide for my needs by catching a fish. Those who succeed become my husbands. My Darlings. I know you didn’t catch anything yet, but we’ll just chalk it up as an IOU for now since I interrupted. You were taking too long and I couldn’t take it anymore!” Jellymon explains.
“Y-Your husbands?!” Kiyoshiro shouts.
This whole time… the coming of age ceremony was some kind of ritual to betroth all of the men in town to this Yokai?! That's prosperous! That’s insane!
“I knew I shouldn’t have come back home,” he mumbles. The thought of being married to this non human entity, and before he’s even fully reached marrying age makes his stomach churn.
”Well anyway!” The monster speaks up once again, “Now that we’ve got introductions out of the way and you’ve calmed down a little, let's cut to the chase! I bet you're wondering what a beautiful Goddess like myself is doing dragging a lowly human down into the depths of her domain, right?”
”Y-yes!” Kiyoshiro stands in attention, “I would like to know why I am here so I can leave.”
This has got to be some dream. There’s no way this is actually happening. A jellyfish yokai? A watery looking domain? Rites of Marriage? He has to be asleep right now, and any minute he’ll wake up and laugh all of this nonsense off as an exhaustion-induced hallucination.
“You’ll leave when I say so!” The creature pouts before quickly regaining her previous enthusiasm, “Anyway. I’ve been watching you, Kiyoshiro Higashimitari, and you're not like the other boring humans in this mundane village! I want you to be my number one Darling! My new priest! What an honor!”
“Your Priest-?!” Kiyoshiro shouts in surprise.
”Yep! You’ll live at my shrine, bring me offerings, and spread my word to the people! And in return the village will get boons of course, I wouldn’t make you work for free!” She chimes.
Kiyoshiro waves his hands, attempting to decline the Yokai’s offer in a tactful way that won’t get him electrocuted.
”O-Oh I’m honored. B-But I’m going to be very busy taking over for the late Village doctor so-“
”Fine,” Jellymon sighs, shaking her head, “I guess you can do both. It would be kind of hard to get prayers from people if they’re sick."
“W-We’ll you don’t want me to be your priest. I’ll admit I’m the most educated person in the village, but I’m not very knowledgeable about yokai- or Goddesses - or anything spiritual for that matter."
“What are you talking about?” Jellymon asks, tilting her head in confusion, “Before you left for the city you used to read books on local Yokai legends all the time”
”That was just so I knew what to look out for!” Kiyoshiro shouts, “H-How did you know that…?”
”Didn’t I tell you? I’ve been watching you for a while. It was always so funny how much those silly little books would scare you,” the monster chuckles.
“There’s nothing funny about it! I was so terrified I kept a candle lit all night-“
“…Which made creepy shadows on the walls that just scared you even more!” Jellymon interrupts before breaking into another fit of laughter.
“Were you spying on me?!” The prodigy gasps.
“I tried talking to you, but you would just scream!” Jellymon shrugs.
Kiyoshiro thinks back to the times he felt like he was being watched. The times he thought he heard voices on the wind or felt breath on his neck… was that all this creature’s doing? It couldn’t be… Just how long has she been ‘watching’ him?
“Well anyway!” The supposed goddess blurts out, “Hurry up and say you’ll do it! The sun will rise soon and I don’t want to deal with the townspeople being in a frenzy because I kidnap- I mean borrowed you."
Feeling the weight of the situation crash down on him, Kiyoshiro falls to his knees and begins praying with all his might.
”Gods! Please save me from this beast!” He bellows.
”Didn’t I tell you I am a God!” The mollusk pouts before wrapping her tendril around the young boy’s waist and pulling him closer, “You're really starting to make me angry! I just might get so mad that I’ll forget how to send you home!”
”Wh-Why do you even need a Priest anyway?!” Kiyoshiro whines, “We haven’t had any in decades!”
”That’s exactly why I need one! People are getting less religious, which means less prayers! Less prayers means I can’t hold my Perfect form for long. Not holding my Perfect form means that some interloper just might come and take my territory right before I make this place into a bustling offering filled paradise! Is that what you want? Do you want to be subjugated by a group of rogue Goblimon or something?!” She answers, her grip growing tighter.
”I-I have no clue what you're talking about!” Kiyoshiro wheezes.
”You don’t need to! Just say you’ll do it!” The Jellyfish shouts.
”Fine! Fine! I’ll do it!” Kiyoshiro submits, “J-Just please don’t hurt me!”
Upon hearing the human’s words, the Goddess releases Kiyoshiro from her grasp, a gleeful smile worn on her face.
”Great! See, was that so hard?!” She beams.
“S-So what is it you want me to do?” Kiyoshiro finally asks after taking a moment to calm his breathing, “What does your priest even do?”
”We’ll hash out the details later, for now just tell the people you're my new number one Darling!” The jellyfish answers, “Oh and maybe urge them to pray to me for divine protection or something."
”W-What-?” Kiyoshiro wants to question the monster more, but based on their interaction thus far, knows it’ll be fruitless. For now he should just nod and agree. Maybe he’ll throw himself in a vat of holy water later to keep himself safe in case this spirit is more malicious than she seems, “U-understood,” He nods.
”Great! Then if you understand, just kiss me and I’ll send you home!” She smiles.
”K-kkkkiss you?!” Kiyoshiro spits.
”Well yeah! We got to seal the deal somehow!” Jellymon states as if it’s the most obvious fact in the world.
”No! No way! That’s just obscene! I’m not giving my first kiss to a-“
“To a WHAT?” The creature murmurs through gritted teeth.
”A-A beauty such as yourself! I-I’m unworthy!!” Kiyoshiro quickly retracts.
”That's what I thought,” She chimes, before floating closer to the human boy, “And don’t sell yourself short, you're at least more worthy than that plain looking Hiro Amanokawa or any of the other boring townspeople. It’s hard to meet my standards though. They didn’t even have a chance."
”B-But if you kiss me I won’t be pure for my wedding day-“ Kiyoshiro starts.
”This is your wedding day! Pucker up!” Jellymon demands.
”J-Just be gentle,” Kiyoshiro concedes.
Not even giving the silver haired boy time to close his eyes and prepare himself for the coming contact, the humanoid mollusk leans in for a quick peck.
Though it lasted mere seconds, Kiyoshiro could feel the warmth on his lips, not the cold, slimy sensation he was expecting. He then notices the scent of a seaside breeze, salty, fresh, and clean, filling his nostrils.
As she backs away, Kiyoshiro is speechless. All he can do is stare at the supposed Goddess as a dull tingling lingers on his parted lips.
The Jellyfish smiles, letting out a soft, jovial laugh.
”Your welcome, Darling” She chimes.
Abruptly, just when Kiyoshiro is about to regain his wits, a light engulfs the Yokai and her shape rapidly shifts and changes.
Once the light ceases, the more humanoid form the creature took previously stands before the young prodigy.
”You’re… Thetismon-sama, right?” Kiyoshiro finds himself asking as he stares in astonishment.
”That's right! Good on you for remembering,” Her voice practically a song, “I knew you were someone special, you have so much potential you made me evolve all on your own!”
“Evolve…” he echos.
A silence fills the scenic space, but not one of discomfort or fear. It’s something else entirely that Kiyoshiro can’t quite pinpoint.
”Well, let’s send you back,” The Goddess states.
Kiyoshiro feels his body lighten and begin to float weightlessly towards the ceiling.
”W-Wait!” He calls out to the mysterious woman that now grows smaller and smaller as he ascends.
Why did he just ask her to wait? Until just a second ago he wanted to leave as quickly as possible… What is this draw? This tug? This curiosity he hasn't felt since his first day at the academy in the capital. Why is he feeling that now of all times?
“Don’t worry Darling, we’ll see each other soon,” Thetismon reassures him.
And before he can gasp out another word, another question, or even a simple goodbye, his vision fades into a blurry darkness.
….
Kiyoshiro returns to an abyss of absolute nothingness.
As he drifts alone in a sea of unconsciousness, once again weightless as his body moves with the tide … a vision suddenly hits him.
He sees it like a photograph or an ink painting placed directly into his mind.
He sees the jellyfish.
He sees her floating behind him as he walks in town.
He sees her tickle the nape of his neck with a branch, and then laugh when he cries out.
He sees her reach a tentacle into his pocket and switch out the omamori he just bought for safety, with one for luck in love.
Then finally, he sees her teary eyed as she watches him leave on a wagon to the city just a few short years ago.
She… really had been watching over the boy. For a long time.
Well, he is a genius. And he’s always felt like he had some sort of special, almost supernatural quality about himself. That’s why he always wore a bandage on his arm. To conceal it from the common man.
It’s natural that someone special like himself would have a Goddess watching over him.
He laughs at his own ridiculous boasting.
Then he finds himself wondering… no, hoping, wishing even, that he’ll be able to perceive Jellymon-sama next time. That she won't be invisible as he walks through life, like she was in those pictorial images. Both so he won’t be scared when the spirit does something mischievous, and so maybe he can get to know her a little better.
Even now, he can feel her gaze on his person.
Either way, Kiyoshiro shrugs off the thought of having an ethereal stalker watching his every move. Maybe things won't be so boring, here in the countryside.
”How troublesome,” he mutters into the abyss.
Then his consciousness fades out, washing away like the waves that carry him.
…
A tug.
A second tug.
A third.
Kiyoshiro is jerked awake by the feeling of something he holds tightly in his hands, attempting to get away from him.
Once his vision focuses, he realizes he’s on his small fishing boat, his rod in his hands as the bobber dips up and down in the water.
Before he can gain his proverbial footing, he feels another jerk on the line.
”Oh! A bite!” Kiyoshiro finally ascertains.
He pulls, the fish pulls back. He reels in, quickly and firmly, but careful not to let the fishing line snap, just like he was taught by some of the locals when he was child.
After a short battle, Kiyoshiro pulls out a large, sparkling fish, though he can’t tell what kind just by looking at it. Maybe he’ll ask Amanokawa-kun about it later, he’s always been good with mundane trivia.
The prodigy secures the specimen in a small box, then looks over his shoulder, seeing as the sun slowly rises over the trees and warms his back.
“Morning already?” he mumbles.
He must have fallen asleep at some point. Though he certainly doesn't remember doing so. Especially sitting up right, and while fishing nonetheless!
With a sigh, he rows his boat toward the shore, this ordeal of a trial finally behind him. Though he only caught one fish, it’ll have to do. Its size will probably make up for the lack in quantity.
It isn’t long after Kiyoshiro pulls the boat on land before Hiro finds his way over to the older boy.
”Oh good, you caught one!” Hiro says as Kiyoshiro looks over his catch trapped in the tiny container, “And it's a big one too! I was worried you might come back empty handed."
”As if,” Kiyoshiro boasts, “When I do something, I do it right! I excel, even!”
”Yeah, yeah,” Hiro sighs, hiding a tinge of annoyance with his Senpai, “Well let’s prepare it and offer it at the shrine.”
The… shrine?
For some reason, the mention of that place makes Kiyoshiro feel uneasy. Like a memory is rippling wildly in his head, but doesn’t still itself long enough for him to see it.
”Senpai?” The shorter boy questions, “Are you okay?”
The prodigy shakes his head, riding his being of whatever it is that ails him.
”Y-yes! Let’s just… get this over with.”
…
With Hiro’s help, Kiyoshiro prepares his catch as the ceremony dictates and places it on a fancy silver plate to bring over to the lone shrine that stands just a short walk from the village.
His kohai parts ways with him at the shrine's well kept tori gate to complete the last part of the coming of age ritual on his own.
As he walks up to the pedestal of the shrine proper, Kiyoshiro finds his attention grabbed by the old, long abandoned house that sits close by.
It's been empty for Kiyoshiro’s whole life. Previously occupied by a monk when the town elder was just a little girl.
Now it’s empty, and no priest lives on these alleged holy grounds.
A priest…
That sensation from before overtakes the young prodigy, he holds his head with his bandaged hand as he tries to sort through this strange feeling like he’s forgetting something important.
Then he hears it.
”Darling…”
It whispers on the wind gently, making Kiyoshiro feel at ease.
“Jellymon-sama…” he says to himself.
That's right. The memories come flooding back to him, so vividly he couldn’t just write them off as a dream even if he wanted to.
The yokai- no Goddess- the strange, marine ascetic of the small room, and the feeling of a kiss gently placed on his lips.
Kiyoshiro kneels down as he presents his offering to the shrine, lighting an incense and clapping his hands together in prayer shortly after.
Then when he stands and turns to report the ceremony as a success to the town elder, a familiar scent catches him off guard.
Salty, fresh, and clean.
Next, he feels a warmth on his cheek, and places a hand over it, surprised.
“Don’t forget your promise, Darling,” Thetismon whispers in his ear.
He turns around, seeing a glimpse of the colorful, fair skinned woman for a brief moment before she fades just as quickly.
Kiyoshiro sighs and continues on his way.
”Yeah yeah,” he mumbles, waving back at the shrine.
Half out of fear of holy indignation, and half out of curiosity, Kiyoshiro will move into the abandoned house on top of this tall hill in a few days time.
Then, he and Jellymon will meet again, and his life will change forever.
Maybe returning home wasn’t so bad after all.
Kiyoshiro takes one last long look at the shrine before descending down the stone stairs.
A new, even grander goal than the one he had when he left for the city fresh in his mind.
~Fin~